General Summary
Scene: Autocthonia > Harmegis > Maker’s Eye
The plaza in the center of the city has changed to look like armor.
Runel, Divine Minister of Order and Cities is meeting with 3 guests.
We recognize one as Foremost Fist of Righteousness from Cinshan.
Perfected Censor of Heretical Works (a grey Soulsteel Caste)
Just Distribution of Abundance (Jade Caste)
The second two are Machine Saints, Alchemicals in service directly beneath the Divine Ministers.
Runel asks Fortifier to command the battle.
Six 12-foot columns (4-foot diameter), each made of the 6 Magical Materials of Autochthonia. Each is ornately embellished with friezes and reliefs.
Fortifier asks if these are municipal charms. Runel explains they are 6 colossi, guardians that protect her.
Their names
Aazuki, jade
Giurat, Starmetal
Leemona, Moonsilver
Mondi, Soulsteel
Piezo, Adamant
Wakylon, Orichalcum
Runel goes to meet with her colossi and Perfected Censor wants to speak to Fortifier.
Perfected Censor says he has been tasked with protecting Runel and is also running counter-espionage to make sure we’re not betrayed from within.
We retcon that one of the 60 sorcerers we trained last session was taught Infallible Messenger to be able to follow Perfected Censor. That way, he can let us know if he finds anything.
A child runs in tell us Symphonic Harmony of Traditions Retold wanted to meet with us. Just Distribution wanted to speak as well, but Fortifier decides to err on the side of Symphonic.
Stelsor asks an interesting question: was the Five-Metal Shrike built in Autochthonia?
No, they were constructed for the Divine Revolution and wars of the First Age.
A glimmering shield of power forms around the city, holding off a ranged attack from the Shrike.
Stelsor wants to fly in underneath the Five-Metal Shrike and attack it with Magma Kraken.
Fortifier suggests we bring a larger, slower force of mortals
Fortifier meets with Just Distribution.
She’s an administrator and politician. She ceaselessly manages the factions within the city to keep them all operating well and without reason to rebel. Keep Symphonic Harmony’s municipal charms in good working order.
Fortifier asks her where she thinks we might be weakest or least prepared.
She is honest about how little we know about our opponent, their immediate goals and their capabilities.
Dreamflower scrutinizes the Essence energy attack from the Shrike.
Focusing on this is like starring at the sun and hurts her.
Fortifier asks Symphonic what she has detected with her recon drone network.
She show us an image of Varakleion, the tri-sided and 40 undead, 4 gigantic Blight creatures (legendary size).
The undead seem to be crewing the ship.
Interestingly, she says she hasn’t noticed them speaking orders much. Perhaps they know we are observing them.
Fortifier asks how long Symphonic’s shielding could hold, She estimates an hour at most.
Symphonic mentions that there would seem to
Fortifier is able to identify 3 of the 4 undead types
Hungry ghosts -- ravenously hungry, low intelligence
Spectres -- immaterial, tireless and hate the living
A couple warghosts
A blue-colored undead that is unknown to Fortifier.
Dreamflower recalls having heard of these. They seem to be the Lovelorn, a ghost specific to the Lover’s forces, formed from those who die tragically abandoned by someone they loved.
When Dreamflower shares this information with us, Symphonic actually sheds a tear.
The 24 square tubes next to Symphonic launch a big attack on the Shrike. It does not seem to do damage, but the attack did push the Shrike back.
Fortifier gets an infallible messenger from Perfected Censor.
“I have reason to suspect Wakylon has been compromised.”
Fortifier shares this with the rest of the Circle.
Fortifier pushes for the strike plan to begin without him; we absolutely need to weaken the Shrike, but Fortifier would probably never forgive himself if he allowed Runel to be captured or attacked.
Scene: Landed aboard the Shrike
Inside the Shrike is entirely dark.
Stelsor tries lighting a mundane lantern, but it doesn’t work.
2 blight elementals on the near side of the room notice them of the room notice
Scene: Fortifier rushes to the palace
The giant doors to the room are locked, but Fortifier forces them open. (Ten-Ox Meditation)
The colossi are shocked by the sudden (and loud) inburst.
Fortifier, arcane circuitry covering one eye (Truth-and-Lies Detection), interrogates Wakylon about his connection to Varakleion, the tri-sided and the Blight, but the colossus stays silent.
Fortifier commands Wakylon, on his authority as a champion of their Great Maker, to answer this allegation.
Wakylon moves aside some of its armor plates to reveal an obvious Blight infection. While the Blight patch is nasty, it seems small relative to the colossus's gargantuan size.
Wakylon explains the Blight began after an unfamiliar mortal touched him 8 months ago in the mountains near the Godhead. Two days later, the colossus discovered a corpse resembling the mortal (though it admits it has trouble recognizing humans).
After this revelation, Piezo punches Wakylon across the room. The others also move to attack the Blighted colossus.
Fortifier quickly dissuades the colossi from destroying Wakylon because destroying even a diseased ally mid-battle is imprudent, especially when he is confident he can remove the corruption.
Fortifier shapes Unyielding Flame of Purity to burn away the Blight within Wakylon.
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